Bangladesh has launched a comprehensive action plan to ensure the country's resilience to climate change over the next decade.

The 2009—2018 plan was presented yesterday (10 September) during the UK—Bangladesh Climate Change Conference in London, United Kingdom.

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, particularly the threat of increased flooding and storms due to its position in the delta of three large rivers — the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna — as well as facing the Bay of Bengal.

Addressing the conference via video message, Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the Bangladesh government, said the country was on track for achieving the Millennium Development Goals but 'climate change has the potential to wreak havoc on our efforts.'

A major focus of the plan is on research to better estimate and monitor the scale and timing of climate change impacts. The plan calls for more accurate modelling scenarios at a regional and national level, particularly for the predicted hydrological impact on the Ganges—Brahmaputra—Meghna delta system.

It also targets research into the impacts of climate change on the macro-economy and linkages between climate change, poverty and health to identify suitable interventions.

The plan also seeks to establish a Centre for Research and Knowledge Management on Climate Change to ensure Bangladesh has access to the latest ideas and technologies from around the world.

Other measures outlined include agricultural research to develop crop varieties resistant to flooding, drought and salinity, better surveillance systems for new and existing disease risks, and improving early warning systems for storm surges and floods.

The exact costs of the plan are still being worked out, but the government estimates that US$500 million will be needed for the first two years, and US$5 billion needed for the first 5 years.

To address this, the government has established a National Climate Change Fund, injecting an initial US$45 million. In addition, a multi-donor trust fund (MDTF) was announced at the conference for contributions from international donors.

Mirza Azizul Islam, Bangladesh's Finance Adviser, called for a 'new sense of urgency' and appealed to all development partners to contribute generously to the trust fund, adding that the funds currently available are grossly inadequate.

'Climate change in Bangladesh is about deprivation and destitution of large sections of the population, with their lives plunged into darkness,' said Islam. 'The government of Bangladesh is committed to face the challenges of climate change.'

United Kingdom secretary of state Douglas Alexander also announced £75 million (around US$132 million) of grant funding from the UK to help Bangladesh fund its mitigation strategies.

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom sealed their long-term commitment to combating climate change by signing a joint document outlining the need to urgently address the challenges and threats posed.

Most popular related searches

Related news

The global banking sector is threatening to undermine the Paris Agreement by failing to adequately capture the risks and opportunities of climate change.
That is according to a new report from Boston Common Asset Management, which warns investors that the majority of banks have failed to restrict financing of coal – the most carbon intensive energy source.
In addition, less than half are implementing climate risk assessments or 2˚C scenario analysis, meaning that their investment decisions may not...

Schneider Electric will join other sustainability leaders to support and accelerate the common fight against climate change at the One Planet Summit. Two years to the day after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and following COP23, President of France Emmanuel Macron is organizing the milestone summit to convene those involved in public and private finance to deliver ambitious and achievable actions that will contribute to limiting global warming and its impact.
Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman & Chief...

FortisBC and the City of Vancouver announced recently (11/24) that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to team up on climate action projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy, while maintaining access to natural gas for residents and businesses. The MOU supports the City of Vancouver in pursuing its commitment to improving air quality and reducing GHG emissions in the region by 80 per cent below 2007 levels before 2050,...

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently (11/13) released its annual Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) report showing that the program, which is one of the most ambitious in the country, is ahead of target and is helping to achieve large reductions in costs for renewable electricity.
The state`s RPS requires investor-owned utilities, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators to procure 33 percent of retail sales per year from eligible renewable sources by 2020 and 50...

The 6th International Conference on Earth Science & Climate Change 2017 will be held in Hong Kong on September 18-19, 2017. The conference covers several topics such as Meteorology, Climate Change and Extreme Weather, Global Warming and Environmental Change and Technologies and Applications of Earth Science, bringing together Professors, Scientists, Professional delegates, Researchers and Students.
Gasmet will demonstrate the power of portable FTIR gas analyzers (models DX4040 and DX4015), which represent...

Customer comments

No comments were found for Bangladesh steps up to tackle climate change. Be the first to comment!